DE69808639T2 - COUPLING ARRANGEMENT FOR A LIQUID CONNECTION - Google Patents

Abstract

Connector assembly for a fluid connection, comprising a female part (1), a male part (2) to be connected thereto, and a plug (3). The female part has a body containing an axial bore (7) which extends from an insert opening (4) for the male part through the body. The female part (1) also has a seat (9), extending around the bore, for the plug, which serves to close off the bore. The male part has an internal axial passage for passage of the fluid and a closing member located in the axial passage, whereby the plug is removed from its seat when the male part is inserted into the bore. The closing member has a flexible ring wall, which rests under prestress against the wall of the axial passage and can spring radially inward so as to provide a passage for the fluid.

Description

The present invention relates to a coupling arrangement for a fluid connection according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a coupling arrangement is known, for example, from US 4,445,551. In this known coupling arrangement, the closure has a number of gripper fingers at the end facing the insertion opening, which can engage in a circumferential groove behind the head of the male part. In their first position, the gripper fingers lie along the shoulder of the bore, so that the head of the male part can be inserted into the closure without the gripper fingers touching the male part. When the head of the male part has been inserted into the closure and the male part is pushed further into the bore, the gripper fingers are pressed inwards and fall into the groove behind the head of the male part.

The male part slides in the hole until a part of the closure, which is provided with holes, protrudes from the hole. The other part of the closure remains in the hole.

In order to prevent the closure from moving out of the bore in the direction of the insertion opening, the known closure has a stop edge near the end pointing away from the gripper fingers, which rests on a stop edge formed by the bore.

This known coupling arrangement has a number of disadvantages. The first disadvantage is that the known closure with its outwardly pointing gripper fingers must be inserted into the bore from the insertion opening, so that the stop edge of the closure can only be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the stop edge of the bore. Consequently, the closure can only withstand a small pressure in the direction of the insertion opening of the bore. A further disadvantage is that the gripper fingers are thin and therefore easily damaged or torn off. It is also a disadvantage that if the male part is inserted crookedly, the closure can be pushed out of its seat without the closure being properly connected to the male part. When the male part is subsequently withdrawn, the closure is not drawn into its seat and the bore remains open. A further disadvantage of the known coupling arrangement is that the closure can easily assume a tilted position in the seat when the male part is withdrawn from the female part, so that the closure does not properly close the bore.

Furthermore, coupling arrangements of various types are known in which the closure is completely released from the bore of the female part and then retained on the head of the male part. An example of such a coupling arrangement is described in US 5 370 270. This known coupling arrangement has the disadvantage that an undesirably large axial force is required to connect the male part to the closure and subsequently to push the closure out of the bore. Another disadvantage is that the closure is already pushed out of its seat before the closure and the male part are connected to each other. This has made it necessary to design the closure and the bore seamlessly in order to ensure a correct seal between the bore and the closure which has been pushed out of its seat, which leads to a complicated injection molding process and increases costs.

The present invention aims to provide an improved coupling arrangement which guarantees a highly reliable seal. Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a coupling arrangement which allows an unrestricted choice of the axial force required during various stages of making and breaking the connection between the male part and the female part. In particular, the present invention aims to provide a coupling arrangement in which, on the one hand, the axial force required to push the closure connected to the male part out of the bore is substantially the same magnitude as the axial force required to connect the male part and the closure, and in which, on the other hand, it is guaranteed that the male part connects to the closure before the closure comes out of its seat.

The present invention, in its first aspect, provides a coupling arrangement according to claim 1. The measures according to the characterizing part of claim 1 ensure that the closure is received very firmly in the bore at the moment the male part connects to the closure, thus guaranteeing that the closure connects to the male part first before the closure moves out of its seat. Only a small axial force is required on the male part.

Other advantageous embodiments are described in claims 2-25 and the description follows.

The present invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings. The figures show the following.

Fig. 1 shows schematically, partly in cross section, the parts of a preferred embodiment of a coupling arrangement according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows schematically the coupling arrangement of Fig. 1, wherein the closure seals the bore in the female part and the male part is inserted into the female part and the closure.

Fig. 3 shows schematically the coupling arrangement of Fig. 1, wherein the closure is released from the bore in the female part and is carried by the male part.

Fig. 4a-e show different stages of establishing a fluid connection with the coupling arrangement from Fig. 1 in cross section.

Fig. 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the male part of the coupling arrangement according to a second aspect of the invention in perspective.

Fig. 6 shows a variant of the male part of the coupling arrangement according to the invention in cross section.

Fig. 7a shows a further embodiment of the male part of the coupling arrangement according to the invention in side view, in which the male part can be used for multiple connection to and release from the closure.

Fig. 7b shows a variant of the male part from Fig. 7a, in which the male part can only be connected to the closure once in order to form a permanent connection.

Fig. 8a-d show a variant of the coupling arrangement according to the invention.

Fig. 9a and 9b show a subsequent embodiment of the coupling arrangement according to the invention in longitudinal section.

Fig. 10a and 10b show a subsequent embodiment of the coupling arrangement according to the invention in longitudinal section.

In Fig. 1, 2, 3 and 4a-e, the construction and function of a preferred embodiment of the coupling arrangement according to the invention is first explained. The coupling arrangement shown is intended to provide a fluid connection for fluids, gases, liquid substances, such as soap, cosmetic creams, non-alcoholic beverages and the like. The coupling arrangement can also be used for powders, in particular fine powders, with suitable flow properties to flow through such a coupling, such as coffee powder and the like or toner powder for printers and copiers and the like. The female part of the coupling arrangement could then be part of a cartridge containing the powder, whereas the male part is part of the copier, printer or coffee machine.

The coupling arrangement actually comprises three components: a female part 1, a male part 2 that can be connected to it, and a closure 3. The female part 1 and the closure 3 are preferably manufactured as a unitary plastic article in a suitable mold by means of injection molding. The male part 2 can also be manufactured as a plastic injection molded product, but the male part can also be made of metal, for example of stainless steel.

The female part 1 has a body with a front end 5 and a rear end 6 with an axial and substantially cylindrical bore 7 extending through the body from an insertion opening 4 for the male part 2 at the front end 5. This bore 7 is open at both ends. The edge at the transition from the front end 5 to the bore 7 is bevelled. At the rear end 6 the bore 7 is delimited by an annular wall 8 protruding from the body. The inner surface of the annular wall 8 forms a seat 9 for the closure 3 which extends around the bore 7. This closure 3 serves to close the bore 7.

The body of the female part 1 is particularly suitable to be welded or glued into the wall or a weld point of a plastic bag. The body of the female part 1 can also be designed to be placed in the neck of a bottle or similar container or in a stable ring-shaped holder adapted to a flexible bag. The latter concept is well known for so-called "bag-in-box" systems.

The male part 2 has a tubular end piece 10 which fits into the bore 7 of the female part 1. When the male part 2 is fully inserted into the female part 1, as shown in Fig. 3, a radially projecting stop rib 11 of the male part 2 sits on the front end 5 of the female part 1. The male part 2 also has a tubular part 12 connected to the end piece 10 with an annular projection 13 to facilitate handling of the male part 2.

Connected to the tubular part 12 is a hose connection part 14 which allows the male part 2 to be connected to a hose (not shown). The male part 2 contains an internal axial channel 15, indicated by dashed lines, for the fluid. The axial channel 15 is open at the end of the hose connection part 14 and is closed at the other end, which means that the channel 15 does not extend to the tip of the end piece 10, but ends at some distance from it. Within the male part 2 a number, in this case four, of transverse channels 17 are formed which connect the axial channel near its closed end to the periphery of the male part 2.

The male part 2 also has on its circumference two diametrically opposed locking devices 19 which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the male part 2 extend from the stop rib 11 towards the tip of the end piece 10.

The female part 1 is provided with two diametrically opposed grooves 20, extending in the axial direction along the bore 7, which serve to accommodate the locking devices 19 when the male part 2 is inserted into the bore 7. The cooperation of the locking devices 19 with the grooves 20 prevents the male part 2 from rotating with respect to the female part 1 before the male element 2 is connected to the closure 3, which will be explained below. Moreover, the locking devices 12 and the grooves 20 facilitate the insertion of the male part 2 into the bore 7. By varying the number of locking devices and grooves, as well as their positions and shapes, it is further possible to obtain a kind of key so that a unique combination of a female part 1 and a male part 2 is obtained and a connection of non-matching male and female parts is prevented.

The end piece 10 is further provided with an annular groove 22 to accommodate a sealing ring (not shown here to avoid confusion) which creates the seal between the male part 2 and the female part 1 and also contributes to holding the male part 2 in the bore 7. The groove 22 is located in the area between the transverse channels 17 and the stop rib 11. In a variant not shown here, instead of the groove 22 with a sealing ring, a rib can be provided on the outside of the male part 2.

The tip of the end piece 10 of the male part 2 is designed as a substantially conical head 23 with a substantially cylindrical projection 24 at its end point. In the direction away from the upper end, the head 23 has first an adjustment surface 25 which tapers towards the outside and abutting thereon a gripping surface 26 which is bevelled outwards with a small cone angle towards the outside. Adjoining the gripping surface 26 is a shoulder surface 27 which is bevelled towards the inside and which ends at the bottom of a recess formed by a circumferential groove 28 between the head 23 and the portion of the male part 2 which is provided with the transverse channels 17. The head 23 is provided with two diametrically opposed grooves 29 which extend from the tip of the end piece 10 to behind the head 23 and in the groove-shaped recess 28 ends.

The closure 3 has an annular wall 31 and an end wall 32 which together enclose a cavity 33 in the closure 3 which is open towards the insertion opening 4. This cavity 33 serves to receive the head 23 of the male part 2. The end wall 32 forms a cylindrical recess 34 whose diameter is adapted to the diameter of the cylindrical projection 24 of the head 23. This complementary shape ensures that the closure 3 remains firmly seated in the correct position on the head 234 and does not become inclined. The inside of the annular wall 31 is similarly made complementary to the head 23 of the male part 2. The grooves 29 allow any substance present in the cavity 33 to escape via the grooves 29 when the head 23 enters the cavity 33.

The closure 3 is connected to the body of the female part 1 by two flexible bodies 35. The bodies 35 ensure that the closure 3 cannot be separated from the female part 1. In addition, the length of the bodies 35 is such that, when the coupling arrangement is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the male part 2 can connect to the closure 3.

At the end of the closure 3 facing the insertion opening 4 of the female part 1, the closure 3 has a radially expandable and compressible annular collar 40 which forms a unit with the closure 3. The collar 40 has an inner surface 41 which is inclined from its free end towards the inside, which connects to a shoulder surface 42 which is tapered towards the outside, which in turn connects to the inside of the annular wall 31. The collar 40 also has an outer surface 44 which is inclined from its free end towards the outside, which connects to an annular hook surface 45 which is tapered towards the inside, which in turn connects to the outer surface of the annular wall 31.

The closure 3 also has a sealing rim 46 which is located around the outside of the annular wall 31 and projects outwardly. The closure 3 also has an outwardly projecting annular stop surface 47 on the side of the sealing rim 46 which faces away from the collar 40.

The annular wall 8 has an axial end surface 50 on which the stop surface 47 of the closure 3 rests when the closure 3 is in its seat 9. Viewed in the insertion direction of the male part 2, the bore 7 has a first section with a diameter such that the male part 2 can be inserted into it with a slight press fit.

At reference number 51, the first section merges into a second section of the bore 7 with a slightly smaller diameter. A shallow circumferential groove 53 in the bore 7 (see Fig. 1) is located such that the sealing ring (not shown) of the male part 2, which is fully inserted into the female part 1, partially engages in this groove, so that on the one hand a reliable seal and on the other hand a kind of snap connection is obtained.

The annular wall 8 has (see Fig. 4a), viewed from the end face 50 in the direction of the insertion opening 4, a cylindrical sealing surface 54 with an inner diameter that is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the sealing edge 46 of the closure 3. Consequently, the closure 3 with its sealing edge 46 will fit tightly into the annular wall 8, thus creating a radial seal.

Viewed in the same direction, an inwardly tapered transition surface 55 connects to the sealing surface 54. This transition surface 55 in turn merges into an outwardly tapered shoulder surface 56 of the bore 7. Connected to this conical shoulder surface 56 is a transition surface 57 that tapers outwards at a smaller angle and connects to the second cylindrical section of the bore 7.

The function of the clutch arrangement is explained with reference to Fig. 4a-4e. It should be noted that for better understanding not all reference numbers mentioned in the description have been given; in these cases the reference numbers can be found in one of the other Fig. 4a-e.

Fig. 4a shows how the closure 3, which is in its seat, closes the bore 7. The closure 3 sits with its stop surface 47 on the end face 50 of the ring wall 8 and presses the sealing edge 46 into the ring wall 8. In Fig. 4a, the collar 40 is in its first position and the annular smooth hook surface 45 of the closure 3 sits under an elastic pre-stress on the shoulder surface 56 of the bore 7. It should be noted that the contact of the stop surface 47 with the end surface 50 creates a second seal of the bore 7. In this first position of the collar 40, there is a gap between the outer surface 44 of the collar 40 and the transition surface 57 of the bore 7, the size of which, viewed radially, increases from the shoulder 56 to the insertion opening 4. Fig. 4b shows the situation in which the head 23 of the male part 2 is inserted into the cavity 33 of the closure 3. Since the smallest diameter of the gripping surface 26 of the head 23 is smaller than the smallest diameter of the inner surface 41 in the first position of the collar 40 and since the cone angle of the inner surface 41 of the collar 40 is greater than the cone angle of the gripping surface 26 of the head 23, contact is established between the head 23 and the collar 40 in particular at the location of the transition edge of the inner surface 41 to the shoulder 42 of the closure 3.

From Fig. 4a and 4b it can be seen that this transition edge, seen in the insertion direction, is located axially in front of the shoulder surface 56 of the bore 7 when the closure 3 is in its seat 9. Consequently, the collar 40 is subjected to an outward bending moment in relation to the weak connection of the collar 40 to the annular wall 31. Since the surface 57 of the bore 7 of the shoulder surface 56 is inclined outward, there is a gap around the collar 40 of the closure 3, which is in its seat, of such dimensions that the collar 40 can expand radially without significant resistance from the female part 1 to allow the head 23 to be inserted into the cavity 33. The force required to expand the collar 40 is therefore determined in particular by the rigidity of the collar 40 itself.

In Fig. 4b, the collar 40 is pushed outward as far as possible in its second position. Since the collar 40 is expanded, the force required to push the closure 3 out of its seat 9 becomes so great that first the head 23 will completely enter the cavity 33 before the closure 3 can move out of its seat.

Fig. 4c shows the situation in which the head 23 of the male part 2 is completely in the cavity 33 of the closure 3. The cylindrical projection 24 of the head 23 fits into the recess 34. The collar 40 is also spring-loaded from its second position, as shown in Fig. 4b, into a third position. This third Position is slightly further outward than the first position shown in Fig. 4a, so that the shoulder surface 42 of the closure 3 is prestressed against the shoulder surface 27 of the head 23 and thus holds the head 23 in the closure 3 in a reliable manner. When the male part 2 is further inserted into the female part 1, the shoulder surface 56 of the bore 7 exerts a reaction force on the hook surface 45 of the collar 40, which leads to an inward bending moment on the collar 40, again in relation to the weak connection of the collar 40 to the annular wall 31. Since the male part 2 inserted into the closure 3 has a circumferential groove 28 at the same level as the collar 40, the collar 40 can be slightly compressed radially and so the diameter of the collar 40 decreases. Consequently, the hook surface 45 becomes more parallel to the axis of the male part 2, so that the force exerted by the hook surface 45 on the ring wall 8 causes the ring wall 8 to expand radially to a greater extent. Consequently, the collar 40 can pass the smallest diameter of the shoulder surface 56 of the bore 7 in a further inwardly pressed fourth position, thus assuming the position shown in Fig. 4d.

When the male part 2 moves to the fully inserted position, the closure 3 comes completely free from the bore 7. The previously compressed collar 40 springs outwards again to its third position, but the head 23 remains in the grip of the shoulder surface 42 of the closure 3. Via the position shown in Fig. 4e, the situation shown in Fig. 3 is finally reached, in which the transverse channels 17 of the male part 2 lie between the collar 40 of the closure 3 and the annular wall 8 of the female part 1 and the fluid connection is established. When the male part 2 is pulled out of the bore 7 of the female part 1, starting from the position shown in Fig. 3, the head 23 takes the closure 3 with it in the direction of the annular wall 8 of the bore 7. Consequently, the conical outer surface 44 of the collar 40 enters the portion of the bore 7 which is delimited by the sealing surface 54. As soon as the outer surface 44 comes into contact with the ring wall 8, the collar 40 is pushed radially back into its fourth position, so that the force required to pull the head 23 out of the closure 3 has become so much greater that first the closure 3 is completely pulled out of its seat 9. As the male part 2 is further retracted, the collar 40 subsequently passes the transition edge between the transition surface 55 and the shoulder surface 56 of the bore 7. As soon as the closure 3 is again in its seat 9, the shoulder surface 27 of the head 23 exerts an outward bending moment on the collar 40; at this moment the collar 40 can be slightly expanded radially into its second position. Consequently, the head 23 can then be pulled from the closure 3 with little force and the collar 40 subsequently springs back into its first position.

With the coupling arrangement according to the invention it is possible to dimension the axial force required during the various phases of connecting and disconnecting the male and female parts as desired. For example, it is possible to keep the axial force substantially constant during all the previously described phases. In particular, with the coupling arrangement described here it is possible for the axial force required to connect the male part 2 to the closure 3 to be substantially equal to the axial force required to subsequently push the closure 3 out of the bore 7.

In a variant not shown here, it can be provided that the cross-section of the collar 40 is not uniform over its entire circumference, but is made up of segments that are separated from one another by axial dividing seams or are connected to one another by thin bridging sections that are designed as a thin film. The collar 40 can also be replaced by several individual gripper fingers around the circumference of the closure 3.

Fig. 5 shows an end to be inserted into the female part of a preferred embodiment of the male part 100 according to a second aspect of the invention. The male part 100 is very similar to the male part 2 previously described and referred to here and it can also be used in combination with the female part 1. An important difference is that the male part 100 is equipped with an internal closure part, which is explained below.

The male part 100 has an internal axial channel 101 for a liquid, which is open at one end and closed at the tip of the inlet end, and this terminates at the end wall 103. A plurality of transverse channels 105 are provided, in this case four, around the circumference of the male part 100, each extending from the outside of the male part 100 to an outlet in the axial channel 101. In the axial channel 101, at the location of the outlets of the transverse channels 105, a closure body 110 is fitted, which is shown separately in Fig. 5.

The closure body 110 is essentially cup-shaped with a flexible ring wall 111 which serves to bear against the inner wall of the axial channel 101 under prestress, thereby closing the outlets of the transverse channels 105. The flexible ring wall 111 can be bent radially inwards so that a passage for the liquid is created. A suitable design of the closure body 110 makes it possible to choose the prestress with which the ring wall 111 presses against the axial channel 101 and the rigidity of the ring wall 111 so that a passage is only created when a certain pressure difference is present between the inside and the outside of the ring wall 111. In addition, it is clear that the closure body 110 acts as a check valve. The closure body 110 has in particular a transverse wall 112 transverse to the flexible ring wall 111 with a central opening contained therein (not visible here).

The closure body 110 can preferably be removed from the male part 100 for cleaning or replacement. A shaft 114 with two diametrically opposed radial projections 115 is formed in the end wall 103 of the axial channel 101 at some distance from the end wall 103. In the assembled position of the closure body 110, the shaft 114 protrudes through the opening of the transverse wall 112 of the closure body 110 so that the projections 115 engage behind the transverse wall 112 of the closure body 110.

The closure body 110 is preferably a unitary article made of a suitable rubber, silicone or elastomer and can be manufactured by injection molding. Since the closure body covers the outlets of the transverse channels 105, the possibility of undesirable contamination of the axial channel or the presence of a substance therein is minimal. It is also possible for this closure body 110 to prevent the presence of undesirable air when connecting to a mating female part.

Fig. 6 shows a male part 200 suitable for use in combination with the coupling arrangement described in Fig. 1, 2, 3 and 4a-4e, namely for filling a container which is equipped with the female part 1 or the like. The male part 200 has a tubular body 201 with a stop edge 202 which rests on the female part in the fully inserted position. Furthermore, an O-ring 203 can be seen which Sealing between the male part 200 and the female part. The tubular body 202 has an internal axial channel 206 which is open at the inlet end. In this axial channel 206 a rod 207 is provided which can be moved back and forth, with a head 208 which is substantially similar to the head 23 of the male part 2. In order to fill the container, the male part 200 is inserted into the female part 1. In this situation it is conceivable that the closure 3 is already outside its seat 9 or that the closure 3 is still in its seat 9. This depends remarkably on the manufacturing method chosen for the arrangement of the closure 3 and the female part 1. By operating the rod 207 the closure 3 can be pushed out of the bore 7 when required and the container can be filled via the female part 1. After filling, the closure 3 can be pulled into the seat 9 by means of the rod 207, thus closing the container. The male part 200 shown in Fig. 6 can also be used to first create a vacuum in the container and subsequently to pull the closure 3 into the female part 1. The closure of the bore 7 thus obtained is such that the vacuum is maintained for a long time. Subsequently, a similar male part 200 can be used, if necessary under sterile conditions, to push the closure 3 out of its seat 9 again and the container can be filled through the channel 206 without air entering the container. In this case, it is important that the closure 3 is pulled back into its seat 9 using the same male part 200 as that with which the container was filled. It should be noted that the head 208 can be pulled against the body 201 to obtain a seal between these parts so that no air and/or contamination can enter the channel 206.

Fig. 7a shows a male part 300 with an insertion part 301 which is substantially identical to the part 10 of the male part 2 shown in Fig. 1. The insertion part 301 is particularly suitable for insertion into the bore of a female part (not shown) which is substantially identical to the female part 1 shown in Fig. 1.

The male part 300 has a head 323 with a cylindrical projection 324 at its end, an adjustment surface 325 and a conical gripping surface 326. The gripping surface 326 extends over a shoulder surface 327 which is at an angle F with respect to slopes inwards along the longitudinal axis, into a recess 328 located behind the head 323. The head 323 of the male part 300 fits into the corresponding cavity of the closure of the female part so that it can be inserted into it and pulled out of the cavity several times.

Fig. 7b shows, on the same scale as Fig. 7a, a male part 350 which is a variant of the male part 300. The male part 350 can be connected to exactly the same female part and corresponding closure as the male part 300. The difference between the male part 300 and 350 is in the construction of the head 373, which is such that this head 373 cannot leave the cavity of the closure unless a destructive force is applied. The head 373 has, similar to the head 323, a projection 374, an adjustment surface 375, a conical gripping surface 376 and a shoulder surface 377 which communicates with a recess 378. The difference between the head 323 and the head 373 is that the diameter of the head 373 is larger so that the annular wall of the female part closure is expanded to a considerable extent when the head 373 is in the cavity of the closure.

In Fig. 7b it can be seen in particular that the largest diameter of the head 373 is larger than the diameter of the part provided with the openings 367, whereas in the case of the head 323 the largest diameter of the head 323 is smaller than the diameter of the part provided with the openings 317, the latter diameter being equal to the diameter of the part provided with the openings 367. Due to the oversized diameter of the head 323, the latter is clamped into the cavity of the closure with a large radial force, whereby the collar of this closure is not pressed radially outwards and this collar thus holds the head 373 firmly in the cavity. Another difference between the head 373 and the head 323 is that the shoulder surface forms an angle G with the longitudinal axis which is considerably larger than the angle F in Fig. 7a; the angle G is almost vertical. Consequently, when the male part 350 is pulled outward, the shoulder surface 377 will not exert sufficient radial force on the collar of the closure to cause it to expand radially so that the head 373 cannot emerge from the closure.

When the male part 350 is connected to the closure, this connection is therefore permanent, so that the coupling arrangement is suitable for multiple opening and closing without releasing the male part 350 from the closure. Such a concept is particularly advantageous in applications such as those explained below on the basis of Fig. 8a-d and Fig. 9a and b.

In a variant of the male part according to Fig. 7b, which is not shown here, the head is equipped with several outwardly projecting grooves, the surfaces of which pointing towards the collar of the closure are almost perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the male part.

Fig. 8a-d show a container 400 equipped with the female part 1 (not visible here) or a similar female part, and a variant of the male part 350 shown in Fig. 7b, which is designed in the form of a closable nozzle 402.

In Fig. 8a a removable band 403 can be seen which holds the male part 402 at some distance from the female part, so that the male part 402 is connected to the closure 3 of the female part 1, but the closure 3 is still in its seat 9 (see Fig. 2 and 4). After the band 403 or other temporary spacer has been removed, the nozzle 402 can be pushed onto the female part 1, causing the closure 3 to leave its seat. The nozzle 402 itself has an additional and manually operable closure body 404, in this case a hinged lid, which is shown in the open position in Fig. 8d. By pulling out the nozzle 402 the closure 3 is retracted into its seat 9 and the container 400 is tightly closed. Due to the concept of the male part 402, as explained with reference to Fig. 7b, the nozzle 402 cannot be removed from the container 400.

Fig. 9a and 9b show an embodiment of the coupling arrangement according to the invention as a closable nozzle. These figures show a female part 430 with a closure 431, which is essentially the same as the female part 1 and the closure 3 shown in Fig. 1. The female part 430 is mounted in a wall 432 of a container, of which only a part is shown. Furthermore, a male part 440 is shown, in which the in the bore of the female part 430 is substantially the same as the corresponding part of the male part 350 in Fig. 7b. The head of the male part 440 is therefore permanently connected to the closure 431. The part inserted into the bore connects a tubular part 441 to an axial channel which can slide in a corresponding bore of the outer guide 442. The outer guide 442 is in this case attached to the female part 430 by snap fingers 443. The outer guide 442 is provided with projections 444 which form an external screw thread. Above the end of the outer guide 442 which faces away from the female part 430 there is a bushing 445 which is provided with an internal screw thread which engages the external thread of the outer guide 442. The bushing 445 is designed to be grasped and rotated by the hand of a user; two gripping projections 446 are formed for this purpose. A driver 447 is formed on the tubular section 441 of the male part 440 and engages with the bushing 445. By rotating the bushing 445, the male part 440 can be moved from a closed position in which the closure 431 closes the bore of the female part 430 (Fig. 9a) to an open position in which the male part 440 is inserted further into the bore and the closure 431 is pushed out of the bore, so that a fluid connection is created.

Fig. 10a and 10b show a locking part 500 with which a variant of the male part 2 from Fig. 1, which is designated with the reference number 501, can be fixed to the female part 1. The male part 501 actually comprises the part of the male part 2, which is designated with a reference number 10 in Fig. 1, and an adjoining part 502, which fits into the bore 503 of the locking part 500. The locking part 500 and the male part 501 are equipped with coupling devices, not shown here, for establishing a detachable connection between the two parts. For example, a bayonet coupling or a snap connection can be provided. The locking part 500 is equipped with one or more, preferably two diametrically opposed, tilting grippers 505. Each of these tilting grippers 505 is attached to the locking part 500 in such a way that it can tilt about a tilting axis 504 which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bore 503. At the end at which the male part 501 is inserted into the bore 503, at some distance from the corresponding tilting axis 504, each tilting gripper 505 is equipped with a gripping latch 506 or a similar device with which the tilting gripper 505 can be locked behind a flange edge formed on the female part 1 or can hook into a corresponding recess. Each tilting gripper 505 also has a part that extends from the tilting axis 504 away from the gripping catch 506. The parts are made in an L-shape with a part 507 lying along the bore 503 and a part 508 extending outwards perpendicular to the bore 503. The tilting axes 504 are made of plastic and hold the tilting grippers 505 in a position in which the gripping catches 506 are close together.

By inserting the male part 501 shown in Fig. 10a into the bore of the female part 1, the beveled gripping catches 506 move away from each other and engage behind an edge of the female part. By pushing the L-shaped parts 507 towards each other, the tilting grippers 505 begin to tilt and the gripping catches move away from each other so that the male part 501 can be removed from the female part 1.

A ring 509 behind the cross legs 508 is positioned so that these cross legs 508 come into contact with this ring 509 when the tilting grippers 505 are pressed together, see Fig. 10b. When the male part 501 is retracted, the ring 509 gives the cross legs 508 additional support. At the end opposite the male part 501, the locking part 500 has a connecting section 510 for a hose or other section.

In a variant of the male part of the coupling arrangement according to the invention, not shown here, the male part consists of multiply connectable parts on the part that is to be inserted into the bore of the female part, this being a separate part. The part can then be attached to a connecting part that is adapted to the intended application, preferably detachably again, for example with a bayonet coupling or a snap connection. This makes it possible to use the coupling arrangement in different applications without changing the relatively expensive part that is to be inserted into the female part. The connecting part can, for example, be straight or bent at a right angle or be designed as the locking element 500 from Fig. 10a and 10b.

Claims (25)

1. A coupling arrangement for a fluid connection, comprising: a female part (1), a male part (2) to be connected thereto and a closure (3), the female part having a body which contains an axial bore (7) which runs through the body from an insertion opening (4) for the male part and has a seat (9) for the closure running around the bore and serving to close the bore; in which the bore of the female part between the insertion opening and the seat forms a shoulder (56) which faces the insertion opening and the closure is provided with at least one elastic hook part (40) with a corresponding hook surface (45), the hook part in a first position resting with its hook surface against the shoulder; and in which the male part has a tubular end piece (10) with a head (23) and a recess (28) located behind the head for receiving the hook part of the closure when the male part is inserted into the bore so that the closure connects with the male part, characterized in that there is a space between the hook part and the female part radially near the hook part (40) in the first position (Fig. 4a), and in that the hook part of the closure has been designed so that - when the tubular end piece of the male part is inserted into the bore (7) - the head of the male part pushes the hook part (40) from its first position into a second position (Fig. 4b) which is radially further outward compared to the first position, and so that the hook part, after having passed the head of the male part, springs elastically inwards into a third position (Fig. 4c) and into the recess (28) of the male Partly falls, wherein contact is maintained between the hook surface (45) and the shoulder (56), and wherein the recess (28) in the male part is such that a radial space is present between the hook part (40) located in its third position (Fig. 4c) and the male part in such a way that when the male part (2) is inserted further into the bore (7), causing the hook part (40) to pass the shoulder (56) in the bore, the hook part, under the action of a force exerted on the hook part by the shoulder of the bore, moves to a fourth position (Fig. 4d) which is located further inside the recess (28) compared to the third position. 2. Coupling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the coupling arrangement is designed so that the closure (3) is free from the bore (7) when the male part is fully inserted into the bore, the hook part (40) of the closure (3) elastically springing back from the fourth position to the third position when it comes out of the bore. 3. Coupling arrangement according to claim 2, in which the bore (7) of the female part has, at the end facing away from the insertion opening, a transition surface (55) which tapers inwardly towards the insertion opening, which can engage with the hook part and forces the hook part into its fourth position when the closure is pulled into the bore. 4. Coupling arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the at least one hook part is a radially expandable and compressible annular collar (40) at the end of the closure (3) which faces the insertion opening (4) of the female part. 5. Coupling arrangement according to claim 4, in which the closure (3) has a cavity (33) which is delimited by an annular wall (31) and an end wall (32) and is open to the insertion opening (4) and which serves to receive the head formed on the free end of the male part. 6. Coupling arrangement according to claim 5, in which the collar (40) has an inwardly tapered inner surface (41) which connects to an outwardly inclined shoulder surface (42) which in turn connects to the inner surface of the annular wall (31) which defines the cavity (33) in the closure, and in which the head (23) of the male part has a gripping surface (26) for the inside of the collar which tapers on the inside towards the free end of the head, the diameter of the head between the gripping surface and its free end being equal to or smaller than the smallest diameter of the gripping surface. 7. Coupling arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the smallest diameter of the gripping surface (26) of the head (23) is smaller than the smallest diameter of the inner surface of the collar (40) and wherein the angle of inclination of the inner surface of the collar is greater than that of the gripping surface of the male part. 8. Coupling arrangement according to claims 6 or 7, in which the transition from the inner surface and the shoulder surface of the closure, viewed from the insertion direction, lies axially in front of the shoulder (56) of the bore (7) of the female part when the closure (3) is in its seat. 9. Coupling arrangement according to one or more of claims 5-8, in which the collar (40) has an externally tapered outer surface (44) which connects to an internally tapered annular hook surface (45) which in turn connects to the outer surface of the ring wall (31) which delimits the cavity (33) in the closure. 10. Coupling arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the shoulder (56) in the bore (7) tapers inwards when viewed from the insertion direction of the male part and the hook surface (45) is complementary in the first position of the hook part. 11. A coupling arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the male part has a shoulder surface (27) at the rear end of the head (23) which interacts with the outwardly inclined shoulder surface (42) in the closure (3). 12. Coupling arrangement according to claim 3, in which the bore, viewed from the introduction direction, has a sealing surface (54) at the end facing away from the insertion opening (4) which connects to the transition surface (55) and is substantially cylindrical, and in which the closure (3) has one or more sealing edges (46) which lie around its circumference and protrude outwards. 13. Coupling arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the head (23) of the male part has one or more grooves (29) extending from its free end and terminating behind the head. 14. Coupling arrangement according to claim 5, in which the head has at its tip a substantially cylindrical projection (24) and in which the end wall (32) of the closure (3) forms a complementary cylindrical recess (34) for receiving the cylindrical projection. 15. A coupling arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the head (373) of the male part (350) is designed such that the head is permanently connected to the closure. 16. Coupling arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the closure (3) is connected to the female part via one or more bodies (35) located outside the bore (7). 17. Coupling arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the male part has an internal axial channel (101) for the flow of the fluid and a closure part which is located in the axial channel, the closure being removed from its seat when the male part is inserted into the bore, characterized in that the closure part (110) has a flexible annular wall (111) which is prestressed against the wall of the axial channel sits on top and can spring radially inwards to create a flow for the fluid. 18. Coupling arrangement according to claim 17, in which the axial channel is made impermeable in the direction of the end facing the closure by means of an end wall (103) and in which one or more transverse channels (105) are provided, each of which runs from the outside of the male part to the outlet in the axial channel. 19. A coupling arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the flexible annular wall (111) extends over the outlet (105) of each transverse channel in the axial channel. 20. Coupling arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims 17-19, in which the closure part (110) has a transverse wall (112) which runs in a transverse direction to the flexible annular wall and in which fastening devices (115) are provided which connect the transverse wall to the end wall of the axial channel of the male part. 21. A coupling arrangement according to claim 20, in which the fastening means comprise a shaft (114) which is formed on the end wall of the axial channel with a radial projection (115) which is located at some distance from the end wall, and an opening in the transverse wall (112) of the closure part (110) through which the shaft projects so that its projection hooks behind the transverse wall of the closure part. 22. Coupling arrangement according to claim 20 or 21, in which the transverse wall (112) rests against the end wall (103). 23. Coupling arrangement according to one or more of claims 17-22, in which the closure part (110) is made in one piece from rubber, silicone or elastomer. 24. Coupling arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which fixing devices (403) are provided which fix the male part (2) in relation to the female part (1) in a position in which the male part is located in the bore of the female part and is connected to the closure which is located in its seat, and in which the fixing devices (403) can be removed or rendered ineffective so that the male part can be inserted further into the bore. 25. A coupling arrangement according to claim 24, wherein the fixing devices comprise a removable ring (403) between the male and female parts.